Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-04-21

LINDEN, MONTGOMERY Co,
A~-sR aGG-

hints and much useful information gener-
ally have been offered from time 10 time
for the benefit Of the Gentlemen Farmers"
but nothing suggested by which Ladies'
could invest q small sum and receive pro-
fits. i viii respectfully direct their atten-
ton 20 the present mania of Poultry for
Profit"
Ladies, your husbands annually gather
into well-stored barns rich haryests of gol-
den grain and seered Tobacco, while you
feel content with a few dwarfed turkeys
and chickens shipped to the Baltimore
markets once q year. For this "limited
amount of fowls" you receive Limited
amount of dollars" Now, why not make
your "pocketbooks" as heavy as your hus-
bands: Il do hope theirs are always hea-
wy You can without doubt realize much
more than you would at first suppose if
you will devote more time and energy TO
your poultry. You must also leave be-
hind, as useless trash" many old and es-
tablished ideas, and adopt those of late
date. Keep advised in the swift advancing
science of Poultry RAISING" then by care,
study and perseverance you must succeed.
In the first place, you must bestow upon
your "liege lord" your sweetest words un-
Ill he is persuaded into building you
suitable poultry house" in which TO shell
ter the fowls from the cold blasts of the
Winter months. 1t must not be very er-
Bensipe, but it must be warm, well lighted,
clean and ventilated. Build your house
upon Southern exposure, and obtain light
by means of glass windows in the South
roof side, the windows being protected in
side by wire netting, and shutters on the
outside flor the Winter months). If posi-
BILE, have also a shed added, under which
the fowls may scratch, but let the main
portion Of the house have pkaHked floor,
us this prevents dampness so fatal to all
kinds of poultry. Let the ground around
the poultry enclosure be- kept dry by means
of slight trenches, for "wet foot invaria-
bly, makes Biddy sick" Have the house
high enough TO stand erect in any part of
it, for low houses are nuisance" Let
the roOsts be high and reached by long
plank upon which small strips of board are
nailed every few inches. This proves
great convenience to the fowls. "a dust
ing box is an indispensable feature. 1t may
be of any length, one foot high and kept
filled with 1.-TWO parts road dust to one part
dry wood ashes" into which has been adj
ded very little sulphur and carbolic pow
der; also have a small box, containing two
comp artments, one for crushed oyster shells
and the other for bits of charcoal" This
should be fastened far enough from the floor
to prevent the fowls from scratching dirt
into il. Still another shallow box in which
Ia put their feed, as much is wasted by
! throwing it upon the floor: besides, it can
no; be considered Clearly feeding, and not
unfrequently is the origin of disease The
best vessels for holding drinks are the com
mon glazed milk crooks" which can be
easily todsisd and kept clean. Scatter dry
sand over the floor once a week and sweep:
this will prevent much sickness both to
the fowls and yourselves for unclean hen
houses situated near dwellings and pumps"
not unfrequently give the Doctor ride"
Spring chickens command the highest
prices for any market poultry, and early in
the season broilers bring rs cents per ID.
They are Matched in warm houses from the
middle of January to the middle of May,
and shipped at the expiration of eight or
twelve weeks after Matching. Next in or
der of profit comes the eggs during the cold
time Immediately before and after Christ
mas, indeed as far as February; but is it
not too provoking, that just at the time they
command the highest figures the hens aerer
lay The remedy is easy. Keep them
we'll sheltered and warm, being sure to fol
rs closely rs possible the following Bill of
Fare" In the morning give warm mot
cold breakfast Of boiled vegetables (pota-
toes are the best) mixed with meal, oat
meal, bran or shorts; sometimes one, some
| times another tn afford variety. Season
with pepper and little salt Positively
avoid SoIpy tood at al times, both for young
and old fowls. The noon meal may be
1 huckwheat, sunfiower seed, &c. while the
supper must be composed simply of grain,
corn is the best, as ii produces warmth
DO not fail u give green food ctteH. even dali
y, such as cabbage, turnips, potatoes car
rntS, apples or whatever YOU have. Chop
ped oats and millct. soaked in hot water
and Sprinklrd with meal, assist greatly.
while meat scraps ESPECIALLY fresh mear
will delight the fowls more than anv other
tempting dish; but, whatever YOU do, fai,
not to give crushed oyster shells or ground
bone" Lastly, let me say, that the old
fashioned fowl has served its day ard gen
Grafton well. but profit in poultry now is
possible only with well bred fowls While
we have the words Of Lord TennvSon that
From yon blue sky above us bent,
The grand old gardener and his wife
Smile AZ the claims OF long descent"
and while | DO not propose 10 dispute that
among human beings simple faith is more
than Norman blood" We, will insist that
among fowls blood will tell" The Ply
mouth Rocks and Dominiques are the best
AL purpose fowls while the Leghorns,
being non-setters, are most desirable for
layers, especially in the coolest weather.
Now, gentle readers, l will close, hoping
that You may yet at some future day thank
your unknown benefactreSs" for having
directed your attention to Poultry Raising